


Happy Birthday, Mister Spock

by Gulo



Category: Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Birthdays, Drabble, Fluff, Gifts, a touch of angst, because gifts are my personal trope, what's a Spock fic without it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-03
Updated: 2019-01-03
Packaged: 2019-10-03 16:49:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,327
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17287823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gulo/pseuds/Gulo
Summary: Spock has been teased all his life. But he's never been teased like this before.Occurs directly after Journey to Babel. Inspired by a few different Tumblr posts, you probably know exactly what I'm talking about. It's so fluffy!!





	Happy Birthday, Mister Spock

"You know that moment when you meet someone's parents, and suddenly you know exactly why they are the way they are?"

"For better or worse, Jim. I know just what ya mean."

Two days of recovery had passed, and both Kirk and Sarek were back to spirits. Kirk and McCoy watched Spock as he said goodbye to his parents, helping them into the shuttle. 

"I like them. Amanda and I had a few chats. She's nice. I don't suppose Spock has ever had a real birthday party, though."

McCoy looked across at Jim peculiarly. "I don't think so," he said slowly, with some sternness. He looked like he was biting back a follow up to his own comment. But Jim just smiled back at him.

"You've got his record. Would you mind doing me a favor and finding out his birthday?"

"Reckon we should give him a little bit o' that Earth culture?" McCoy looked deviously back at the twinkling in his captain's eye. 

"Yep. He should experience it at least once." 

"Damn right, boss. Couldn't agree with you more."

***

There was just enough time for Jim to order something special to be sent to the next starbase for pickup. He wished he had the time to fashion something from scratch, but these days he barely had enough time for personal reading (often falling asleep halfway down the first page). However, McCoy had a special task he asked Jim to help him with, and Jim was certainly happy to help with it. 

Rumors of the surprise party flashed across the bridge crew. Everyone was terrifically excited by the secret, making their own plans to contribute to the party. This would be a much smaller and more casual affair compared to the diplomatic mission they'd just finished, and they also began to think of it as an afterparty for a job well done. But mostly, it was all about the opportunity to spoil First Officer Spock. 

Chapel, Uhura, Sulu, Chekov, and Scott all helped to make sure the conference room was decked out with crepe paper streamers. They had to prepare in advance and quickly put it all up within the hour of the party starting, so as to keep the surprise. But they made quick work of it altogether, singing and laughing the while. 

Finally the moment came. Pretending to chat around Spock about something of consequence, Kirk and McCoy led the innocent Vulcan into the conference room, only to be greeted by a chorus of 

"Surprise!!! Happy birthday, Spock!" 

Colorful confetti showered them all, and a few of them even held tiny festive sparklers that spat multicolored flares every direction. They sang a song that Spock had heard before, but had never been sung to him. When the sparklers died down, Chapel picked up a cake, intricately decorated with the organic designs of the Vulcan language. Chapel of course knew no Vulcan, but figured copying any passage from Surak's teachings would do, and still appear aesthetic. It had a single candle in the middle. 

"Happy birthday, Mister Spock. Go ahead, blow out the candle," Chapel offered, with a sweet smile. 

Spock was mortified. He was stricken. His eyes were very wide. He glanced at each of the crew in turn, searching their faces, something of a panic sitting suddenly quite heavily in the pit of his stomach. Their smiles did not placate him. It was a trick. This was a joke. They were ganging up on him. If he reacted the wrong way to this, he'd be ostracized, and continue to be the butt of the same joke for years. A public embarrassment. He had to play along as best he could. 

Spock hesitated, but without saying a word, he leaned slightly forward to quickly blow out the candle, to raccous applause. It was deafening to him. He kept himself from wincing by gripping his wrist behind his back, hard. 

Jim must have noticed his tension, because the captain's hand touched his shoulderblade lightly in reassurance. Spock glanced sidelong to catch an impish smile, but before they could linger, the cake was taken away to be cut, and he was suddenly being bombarded with gifts. 

"Here, open mine first," Chekov insisted. He clearly wanted to go first out of some sense of embarrassment of his own. The young navigator was exhibiting a funny mix of postures as he presented the ribboned box to Spock, shyly clasped his hands in front of himself to watch. Carefully, Spock pulled apart the ribbon and pulled the top off the box to reveal inside a paper flower. Intricately patterned as if fashioned from many paper layers, and and punched with a delicate lacing of designs, from its pink yellow and purple petals to its vibrant green leaves, it was patently unique. 

Spock did his damndest to suppress a blush, flattening his emotions as much as possible. Still, he was touched. It was a lot of effort to go to, and with beautiful results... a lot of effort to go to for a joke. He had to give it that much credit. But wait, was it his to keep...? "... Thank you, Mister Chekov."

"Awwww," the entire room echoed, then they dissolved into laughter, and gave another round of applause. 

Going above and beyond to ease the tension, McCoy had found a jaunty birthday hat. It was only plastic, but covered with an irridescent sparkly layer, with a bright sparkly blue band. He popped it on top of Spock's head. "There, crown fit for a birthday boy!" 

"I know," said Scotty, coming up next. He carefully took the flower from the box and slid its stem underneath the hat's blue band, cocking it at an angle. "There!" 

"Yay!" More applause. 

"Here, have mine next." Scotty handed him a little box of his own. Spock was not exactly getting used to the feeling of all these eyes on him, but he realized this was going to take a while, so he buckled in. He opened the jewelry box to find a ring inside, simple, sterling silver, engraved with a Tree of Life. "Made it m'sel' last week. Don't know if it will fit ye. But there's no one way to wear a ring." 

Already familiar with the significance behind the Tree of Life symbol, Spock regarded Scott with some warmth. There weren't many trees on Vulcan, but Spock liked them a great deal. He thought it a fitting gift from an Earthling. Scotty could be a bit of a party animal sometimes, but mischief, per se, was not in his blood. Scott was always exquisitely sincere, and the ring said much to Spock. He thanked the engineer for it with a respectful nod. Scott smiled brilliantly and returned it. 

Next was Uhura, who did not package up her gift, but had only wrapped it loosely in a silk cloth the color of indigo. "I heard you play," she said as she handed over the polished and shellacked wooden pan-flute. Spock unwrapped it with reverence, holding the object in his hand and turning it about. 

"It looks very nicely made. Thank you, Uhura." He sounded more sincere than even he expected. Elated, Uhura threw her arms around his neck in a quick hug, then ran back to join the others. Spock's hat tipped a bit, and McCoy reached to correct it with a cheeky grin. 

Chapel handed him a small card. Withdrawing it from its envelope, Spock read off the cursive script. "This voucher good for one free massage anytime."

"I'm not crafty like these talented kids," she said demurely, "but I am good with my hands. Sometimes a hypo just doesn't compare to a real rubdown. So, don't hesitate." 

Spock thought his blush was starting to show through by now. "Thank you," he said quietly, and Chapel just answered him with another smile. 

Sulu looked a bit sheepish as he stepped up. "I'm not crafty either," he admitted, "I couldn't really think of much to give you. And, I don't usually keep company when I meditate. But if you'd like to meditate together sometime, please let me know." 

Spock was almost speechless. He'd never before had a human offer this to him. Having company to meditate was a unique experience. Some argued that distractions made it impossible to experience total ego loss, but some would argue that was the point; there was more to experience in life than mere dissolution. 

Spock and Sulu exchanged a short bow. Nothing else needed to be said, but the air was thick with electricity. 

McCoy sidled in, with Kirk just behind him. Both their faces were a bit pink. Without ceremony, McCoy handed him his gift, something soft covered in festive paper with designs of stars and suns. "Gowan. Open it." 

Spock took the papered gift hesitantly. He experimentally squished the object in his hands, watching it depress and the paper crinkle. "Tear it open, Spock. That's what you do," Kirk grinned. 

To giggles of anticipation from the crowd, Spock slowly ripped the paper open. It felt so wrong, yet... so right. The paper shredded in a satisfying way, opening to reveal a plush furry thing. He unwrapped it totally to see a homely but sympathetic face looking up at him, fashioned of felt and cotton, with little beady eyes, even plush tusks and plush claws. A plush sehlat. The surgeon's talented hands had created a companion, just for him. The gathered friends all gasped and "awww"ed. 

Emotions flooded him that he didn't even know what to do with, couldn't even identify. Spock used fingertips to brush back the mane from its face, could feel how warm the stuffed animal was when he brought it to his chest. 

"Jim helped me make it," McCoy jerked a thumb back at Kirk, and Kirk simpered.

"Only a little." 

"I couldn't have done the whole thing myself. You're co-author. We'll split royalties." 

"Okay, Bones." They both beamed at him as Spock turned back. The Vulcan had turned curiously diminutive and kept his eyes downcast as he stroked the stuffed animal. 

"Do ya like it?" McCoy had to ask, even though he was afraid to. But Spock nodded and McCoy could just, just barely see the wetness in his eyes. 

Kirk noticed too. He gave Spock a firm pat on the back to help move things along before they got too sentimental, and offered his own gift, a seemingly plain box. Spock tucked the stuffed sehlat under an arm to accept it, slowly pried open the box covers to reveal inside... some chocolates. Spock was a bit puzzled. Certainly he'd tasted chocolate before, a long time ago, but it seemed an odd gift to him. 

He did not miss a funny glance between Chapel and Uhura. 

"These are hand-made, they come from Frisco," Kirk explained. "So I may be biased. But they're my favorite. Anyway, you don't seem to be much for sweets. But who doesn't like chocolate, right?" Kirk, fidgeting? Was this really happening?

But the truth was, Spock didn't really remember the taste of it. The few times his mother let him sample it as a child, he wasn't very impressed. Spock generally preferred the taste of fruit and berries, and sometimes honey. But... maybe this would be different. He curiously picked up one of the squares and brought it to his lips, to gasps from the room. The velvety chocolatey sensation filled his mouth and he delighted in it. The flavor was so unexpected, so much more complex than he realized -- yet still mild, still totally succulent. He nodded his approval and the company chuckled and giggled, with Kirk grinning ear to ear. 

Chatting over cake and tea was had, while Uhura and Spock taught each other tricks on the flute. 

***

Later that evening Spock dropped by Kirk's quarters. "Enter."

Though Kirk's hands were folded on his desk, he was grinning like a Cheshire cat.

"Please never do that to me again," Spock admonished him, and the captain burst out laughing. 

Kirk stood up and crossed the room to him. "I really thought you were going to faint there for a moment. But I think you took it in stride. You did a great job." 

"I have been teased all my life," Spock said with a bit more conviction than Jim expected, suddenly sobering. "I was shunned by my Vulcan classmates. I was still hazed at the Academy. Even now, you, your crew, tease me. But I have never experienced anything like that before." 

Jim's smile fell, he paused to digest all Spock had said. He thought Spock had got it by now, but... perhaps not? He reached to touch the Vulcan's elbow. "I guess you could call a surprise party .... teasing, in a way, but.... we only did it because we love you." 

Spock looked down. He could not deny that there had been a lot of thought put behind this. And he knew as much that this was a not-uncommon ritual for Earthlings, even if it was meant to be embarrassing, to a degree. But he felt Jim's sincerity in his touch, and slowly lifted his eyes to meet Jim's again. 

"We love you, Spock." Jim sighed. Spock's eyes held his unwavering, and he seemed to try to smile. Jim's own smile returned somewhat, and he pulled Spock in for a hug. "And you're my best friend." 

He musn't cry. He mustn't cry. He musn't cry. Not now, not here, not in front of Jim. Even though Jim had been the one to say it to him. Spock couldn't think of a time anyone had ever called him their friend, let alone *best* friend. That was enough to surpass all parties, all gifts for all time. He clung to Jim hard so he wouldn't see him sniveling, then turned on a heel and started out the door. 

"Happy birthday, Spock," Jim called out to him. 

"Thank you, Captain," Spock said without turning, and left.

~<3~


End file.
